


Teen Titans; Mashed Potatoes and Letters

by EmeraldIbis



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Angst and Feels, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2019-07-18 21:01:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16126655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldIbis/pseuds/EmeraldIbis
Summary: My version of Starfire's episode of going 20 years into the future to find the whole team disbanded. I did not like how it was shown on the tv so I wrote my own.





	1. She Left

Stirring the pot with one hand and holding the recipe book in the other came easily to Starfire. What was difficult was smacking the black and yellow gloved hand every time it tried to reach around her. Robin became sneaky about it tooo. The entire time Star cooked she had to keep one eye on the food and the other on her fearless leader. The fearless leader that was about to be smacked, again. Robin pulled his hand back with a yelp. Raven rolled her eyes and took a sip from her mug.

             “You get beaten up by monsters and villains every day without a peep. But Starfire hits your hand and you squeak like a yap dog.” Robin glared, even through the mask his stare was imposing. Raven’s glare, however, could make ice melt just by looking at it. Their leader’s gaze didn’t hold a candle and he knew it. “I do not squeak.” He glanced at Starfire who ignored them in favor of finishing her sauce. Having become a decent cook in Earth foods, far beyond what any of them could accomplish, Starfire was the designated meal maker. Everyone else did the deserts or any other additions.

              Cyborg walked in, ruffling Star’s hair as he passed by. “We got the side dishes BB wanted and the mustard.” Starfire beamed widely at him.

              “Oh, thank you, Cyborg” BB walked in, holding two cardboard containers and a familiar yellow bottle. 

              “I don’t get a thank you? You wound a guy, Star.” BB shot a meaningful glance at Robin who pointedly looked away. Star frowned.

              “Oh! Apologies, my friend. Cyborg just came in first. Thank you.”

               BB laughed, shaking his head at her tendency to take everything literally. “I’m joking, Star.” Setting the containers down on the table and popping open the lids he spoke again. “Oh, by the way, I got some mashed potatoes too.”    

               Starfire glanced up at him from her pasta sauce with a puzzled look on her face. “I did not realize wheat noodles and sauce of meat went with potatoes.” Cyborg set the table and called out to her. “Don’t feel bad, Star. BB just wanted mashed potatoes. I don’t know why. Have you had it yet?” Star shook her head.“Well then, I’ll grab the sauce pot for ya and you can get the pasta. Alright?” Robin moved before either of them could, lifting the sauce pan.

              “I got it, Cyborg.” Robin made a face, but quickly schooled his features as the group sat down. The group sitting around a table using mismatched silverware looked odd, but the smiles made it home. Starfire had recently dragged Robin into town to retrieve a table. Star had happily looked through the selection and found one that had enough room to seat all of them. Robin, on the other hand, stood around awkwardly and tried to ignore the saleswomen gawking. Cyborg plopped a dollop of mashed potatoes on Star’s plate. Robin grit his teeth. Since when had they become so friendly? He shook his head, regretting the thought the moment it came. Everyone was friendly to Star, Cyborg being no exception. Star stared at it skeptically as she spooned a piece onto her fork. “

             "Why is it so mushy?” Cyborg laughed and BB shook his head. Raven glared at him, her silent reminder to not talk when he had his mouth full.

            BB swallowed before answering. “You remember the potatoes we saw at the market, right?” Star nodded. “They were mashed and then spiced to look like that.” He pointed to the pile on her plate.

            Raven piped up dryly. “Don’t worry, they aren’t tricking you.” She placed a dainty portion into her mouth. BB glared at Raven.

           “I resent that.”

           Raven raised an eyebrow. “Resent it all you want. Doesn’t make it any less true.” BB growled.

           “I wasn’t going to trick her!” He shoveled more food into his mouth to make the point and Raven sighed.

            “I don’t know why I bother. You’ve tricked her with food in the past.” She was right. There had been a few close calls with Beast Boy trying to feed Star something nasty. BB crossed his arms.

            Star smiled at him. “It is fine, friend. But please, I do not want to eat anything you make. I think that would count as tricking.” Robin laughed, covering it up with a harsh cough. Star took a bite. “Um-" Whatever Starfire was about to say was interrupted by a blazing siren, shaking the whole tower. Robin stood up.

            “We can eat later, lets go.” Star stood up and sighed. It would be cold by the time they got back. A hand grasped her arm gently. “Its alright, Star.”

             Star smiled, kissing him softly on the cheek. “Of course, my friend.” She blushed at her own actions, scurrying past him quickly. Robin touched a hand to his colored cheeks.

 

 

         Images flooded into her mind. Fighting the time villain. Being sucked into his portal and hearing her friends scream her name as she was pulled away from them. Starfire sat up. She was in the tower, but not the one she knew. This tower was old and dusty. Paint had faded and peeled off the walls. The couches had holes from where bugs chewed through. When she looked to the windows Star gasped. They were completely broken. Strips of plastic attached to the floor and ceiling kept most of the sunlight out and Star shivered. This was not her home, but it was the tower. Why does it look like this?

             “Hello?” An old tired voice came from the side of the room. It took a moment for Star to recognize it.

             “Cyborg?” Clatters and bangs followed.

             “Starfire?!” His voice sounded incredulous. Cyborg peaked through the kitchen door, walking towards her like he was seeing a ghost.

            “Of course, who else would it be?” Cyborg’s eyes widened and he picked her up. Spinning her around happily. “It is good to see you too?” Starfire’s words came out like a question and Cyborg put her down.

           “It is beyond good to see you, Star. Can’t tell you how much we all missed you.” His voice sounded sad.

         Looking around at the dilapidated room she spoke softly. “What happened? Where are our friends?” She peaked behind Cyborg as if expecting the others to pop out from behind him. They didn’t. When she looked up at Cyborg’s face she did a double take. He looked tired, light crow’s feet around his eyes and the hair around his temples were spotted with pale grey. Cyborg sighed.

           “Everyone is gone. You’ve been missing twenty years. We just.. couldn’t hold onto the team without you there.” Star gasped.

           “Gone? As in...” Her voice trailed off, but Cyborg shook his head.

          “No, not dead. Not physically at least. We lost contact a long time ago.” Cyborg sat down on one of the half eaten cushions and Star sat cross legged next to him. “I tried to keep fighting on my own. But without team mates to offset the power I have to use...” A tear crept down his face. “It took many years, but eventually I became stuck here. My power cells kept being depleted too quickly. I go to the deck to fish with a rod I made. Everything else I grow from seeds.” Star gasped.

          “No stipend from the city?” A flash of anger shot through her. After everything he did the city didn’t take care of him? Cyborg shook his head.

          “Food stamps, and a few farmers will take any equipment that needs fixing out here with fresh food and vegetables to supplement what I have. I get by.”

          Star stood up. “I need to go find everyone else. I need to figure out a way to get home.”

          Cyborg smiled but it was a sad expression not a happy one. “We lost contact, but I do have my watch. If the others still have it you can find them through that. Star nodded and a thought hit her.

            “Cyborg? Is there anything you would like to say to the Cyborg I knew?” He startled. “There is plenty I’d like to say.” Star smiled. “Then get a piece of paper.”

 

          Running down the street gave her a sense of purpose. She had found Beast Boy’s signal after landing on the Jump City dock. It was deserted and Star winced. She should have asked Cyborg for better clothes because drawing attention to herself did not seem like a good idea. Without Teen Titans the criminals had a free for all. The evidence was graffiti all over the walls with rude messages that the city hadn’t bothered to clean off. Footsteps to her right made her tense. Three guys stepped out from behind a shipment.

             “Well what do we have here, boys? A Starfire cosplayer wandering around.” His voice drawled lazily but he watched her with sharp eyes. “A convincing one too.” Starfire carefully put the watch into her pocket.

           “I do not wish to hurt anyone. Please step aside and I will be on my way.” The tallest guy laughed jumping forward with a knife. The others started to laugh as well. Star swiftly dodged the man and kicked his legs out from under him and he fell the ground hard. She edged around the other two towards the side of the shipping yard when they ran to the fallen man. Then she stopped. These thugs shouldn’t be out on the street and she was in a position to do some good. Making up her mind Starfire turned and pounced.

 

            An old police officer shot up when a loud knock sounded on his office door. He called for them to come in. Starfire stalked into the room and dumped the three men on his desk. The old police officer spluttered. “What is the meaning of this?” He looked up and his eyes bugged out.

           Starfire stood with one hand on her hip. “When someone does your work for you I do believe it is customary to say thank you.” The officer stared pulling a file from the desk drawer that he never thought he would use again. Starfire turned, easily moving past the younger officers trying to figure out what was going on. She called out as she ran. “Sorry! I need to leave.” Her fiery red hair flipped out behind her like a banner. The old chief of police picked up his phone and dialed a number. When a gruff voice on the other end responded he spoke.

              “I need you to come down here. We have a situation.”

 

          Tears slipped down her cheeks, the nurses in the nursing home hadn’t stood a chance against her once Star realized the beeping communicator signal came from inside. Eventually, they let her see him. Beast Boy lay on a cot, and like Cyborg he had changed too and not for the better. Scars littered his face and shoulder which was all Star could see. He looked at her and his marred face twisted. For a moment he looked like the young happy boy she knew and then he spoke in a raspy voice.

            “Where have you been, Starfire?” His green hair flutter around his face unkemptly. The BB she knew never went anywhere without styling and she glanced around. This Beast Boy didn’t really go anywhere. BB shook his head. “I go by Garfield now. Haven’t been called BB in years.”She hadn't realized that she had spoken aloud.  Star sat in the creaky and uncomfortable plastic chair provided.

             “What happened? I have met with friend Cyborg already and,” Star held up the communicator. “he told me that I could find you through this.” Garfield sighed.

             “I always kept it around. Good piece of equipment.” He slumped into the bed more and Star realized for the first time how frail he was. “The last time I saw Cyborg I had called for help.” He gestured to the scar running down his shoulder and beneath the hospital gown. “That’s when I got this. I was moved here about a year ago. I’m too injured to do anything, really.” Starfire waved her hand for one of the nurses. When she came over Star asked.

             “Would you be so kind as to get my friend a pen and paper?” The nurse gave her a puzzled expression, but nodded. Garfield stared at Star.

             “What are you doing?”

             “Because I will find a way to go back. The time villain must have crashed here in this era as well. I want you to write down everything you want to say to the person I know.” Garfield stared at her.

            “Are you going to do this with everyone?” Star nodded and he sighed. “Then there is something you should know. I kept in contact with Raven for a little longer than the others. Only because I was concerned for her mental health. She deteriorated rapidly and I had to sign a form as her only living stand in relative for the hospital to take care of her.”

           Seeing her face he shook his head. “It was the best thing for her, Star. You didn't see Raven when you left. It looked like she fell off the deep end. But when I signed the form they said not to worry about her expense. It was already taken care of.” Garfield shrugged. “We got lucky. Some sort of charity from the city maybe.” Star shifted in her seat. From what Cyborg had told her that didn’t seem to be the case. Before she could say anything the nurse came back with the supplies requested. Dropping them off quickly she hurried to another patient. Garfield sat up, holding the pen thoughtfully to his lips for a moment before starting to write. After ten minutes he had filled the entire paper with his scrawled handwriting. Star stood up, placing a gentle hand on her friend’s cheek.

          “I will fix this, Beast Boy. ”

 

          Again, Star ran down the street. Beast Boy had told her it was a fool’s errand. The last time he visited Raven threw anything she could with her mind and he was asked to leave. Starfire knew she still had to try. Arriving at the hospital, the staff stood aghast as she walked in the room, all of these were men and women in their late thirties. With a start she realized they must have been young teens when she disappeared. Star walked up to the front desk. People asked her questions but she shook her head politely.

         “I am sorry, my friends. I need to move quickly. Please let me see Raven.” Walking into the stark white room was almost like throwing herself into a crisp, fiery hell. The smell of cleaning solution and other foul odors hit her nose. Raven paced rapidly and muttered to herself. “Please, Raven. You must listen to me. Please write the letter.” Raven snarled, whirling around.

          “You aren’t real! You left us! You left us a long time ago...” Her voice trailed off and she resumed pacing. Star tilted her head to the side.

         “If I am not real,” she paused for a moment as Raven turned sharply to look at her. “would it be so bad to do as I ask? A letter will not hurt you.” Her friend stopped pacing completely and reached under her bed.

         “I have a letter.” Startled, Star took the offered paper. It was an envelope and sealed with no address. Star stared, how had Raven known? It didn’t matter, Raven resumed pacing and muttering under her breath. Starfire turned and went back out the way she came.Looking back only once to gaze at the pale form, a shell of her former friend.  Some things would always be a mystery with the half demon girl.

            People stared as she walked out of the hospital but no nurse made a move to stop her and get answers. Once the heavy doors shut behind her Star breathed out a sigh of relief, glad that the ordeal was over. She shook her head, one more person to find. Star pursed her lip, would Robin look different? Desperately she hoped not to find him like she had found the others, injured, desolate and alone. Robin needed people to balance him. He needed a group of people to pull him out of his work to eat and to have fun. Images of Robin flashed in her head, helping her in a tough situation, calling out to her as she fell or sitting around the dinner table like a family. A few tears slipped down her face and she looked up at the sky and whispered. “Please do not have hurt my friend. Please let me find him safely.”

          Jump city looked even worse as Star glanced around. Gone were the happy people running around, the business men in their suits and holding their briefcases. Billboards crumbled in some places and others held nothing but a sloppy paint job. No one lingered in the streets like she had seen before. It looked like some places on her planet, places she had only glimpsed from inside a well guarded caravan. Places where the poor of the poor lived and made their living with their hands. Some honest, but many were not. A hand covered her mouth and Star kicked sharply at their knee.

         The man went down. Seconds later a dark shadow swooped over. Kicking the man again. When the would be mugger stood up she gasped. The man that pulled her into the portal! Clock man growled. “I don’t know what you did little girl, but you brought us here.” The shadow stood up but Star could barely see him in the dark alley. The man touched the circle on his chest and as he sunk into the ground he spoke. “This isn’t over.”

 

**I think you all know who the dark shadow is. Please be aware the next chapter will contain a bit of lime content at the very least. If that is not your cup of tea then hit the back button.**

**Also, I tried to do my best with all the characters but I know Starfire did not act like how she did in the TV show. I am well aware of this and I did this for a few reasons. I did not like how she was portrayed as someone who gave up easily. Starfire is a strong, alien princess who beat her sister for the throne and gave it to her father. That takes major guts and strength. While the situation is a bit different in this scenario the principle of family is similar. She has to make tough choices and she is fully capable of doing so. Also, Beast Boy never struck me as the type of character to hide away like he did in the cage. Yes he is reckless and not having a team would hinder him greatly. However, as shown in the episode where he turns into the werewolf BB does have a sense of responsibility and combined with his recklessness I see him going down with a bad injury. Not hiding away in a cage to protect him from the people outside of it.**


	2. Beginning of What Never Should Be

“Starfire?”

The princess spun around with enough force to smash a car. She swallowed hard.

Robin stood partially in shadow, a dark blue black suit covering his body. Long dark hair shielded his features from her.

“Yes Robin?” The figure stalked closer to her, like a wary wolf taking a food offering. Then he stood straight.

“Come on, I’ve put a tracker on him already. We have a while before he can fix his machine.”

Star spluttered, “Put a tracker on him? How-“ Then it dawned on her, the shadow that had flown over. With a smirk Robin turned and leapt onto the nearest building and out of the alley way. The sky was thick with smog, dark billowing smoke that seemed to come out of every pore of the city.

After a while of running and what seemed to be nearly half the city behind them, Robin opened up a small shed. It held a couple of dusty tools in the backyard of a large house. Moving aside a few tools he pressed a code into a familiar looking data pad.

In seconds the chute opened. Robin looked almost sheepish, “After you.” Giving him a brilliant smile she jumped down into the opening, giving a delighted scream when the opening turned into small tunnel.

Flying out of the tube and landing with a roll Star stood with a laugh, “That was wonderful!” A small softening of his features beneath the mask let her know he was pleased.  
“Alfred hates it whenever he comes. So does the bat.”  
Without another word he moved past her and into a main room, tools, machinery and various other gadgets lay in what looked to be a disheveled mess throughout the room.  
She knew better.

Goosebumps she hadn’t realized she had lowered at the warmer temperature in the room. A red and yellow suit caught her eye and Star moved forward. Elegantly padding through the mess towards the clear display case she stopped before it.

It looked so small, childlike almost, compared to who stood before her now. A warm cloth draped over her shoulder and a mug of tea thrust into her hands. Jumping in surprise the blanket fell off Star’s shoulder.

“Oh! Thank you Robin, I hadn’t realized how cold I was.” He had changed, soft jeans and a snug red t-shirt made the blue mask look out of place.

“I haven’t been called Robin in years. I go by Nightwing now.” Fixing the blanket more firmly on her shoulders and picking up his own mug with one hand he lead her into a smaller room.  
A library, books covered the shelves from floor to ceiling and several large cushioned chairs sat in a semi circle in front of an old stone fireplace.

Sitting down and pulling the blanket around her the young princess asked, “How did you get a fireplace down here?”  
Nightwing sat in his own chair directly across from her, one ankle crossed over his knee. “It took some designing with the pipes, but the smoke is sucked through several grates and diffused with fans attached to the oxygen system.” He seemed to relax as he spoke, leaning back with both eyes fixed intently on her.

“Ah of course, two birds with..er.” Starfire pursed her lips, “What is the phrase again?”

To her shock, and his by the look on Nightwing’s face, a low chuckle escaped his throat. “Two birds with one stone.”

It took a few minutes as Starfire sipped her tea before either of them spoke. The crackling fire had turned on and she felt sufficiently warm. Although she had to resist the urge to stretch in front of the fire and take a nap.

“So you said you have a tracker on him?”

Nightwing nodded, “He’s come about around here before, I think when he was still experimenting with the machine. It will take him a while to fix it.”

“How long?”

For the first time that evening he lowered his gaze from her face. “A few days at minimum, a couple of weeks at most. I’ll be able to figure out when he is close though, I’ve set up a few spies in his shop.”

Star raised a brow, “You planted spies in his shop?” He meant little devices that would send information about the project a criminal was working on through, camera, heat and computer recognition.

“I recognized him, from all those years ago. I thought it best to keep an eye on his doings and I was right.” He took another sip before setting the mug down on his knee.

Star spoke, “How have you been? I have found everyone else and asked them to write letters..” Pulling out the ones from her pocket she set them on the table. “It is an opportunity to tell your younger self something.”

For several long moments Robin stared at the pile of unaddressed letters. “There is a lot I would like to say.” His shoulders fell slightly, “But not right now, let’s eat now.”

Star followed him to the kitchen with the empty mug and blanket still wrapped around her shoulders. Returning to the chairs by the fireplace with two large plates of pasta, hers with mustard, and fresh mugs of tea.

“Thank you, R-Nightwing.” Star hid behind her next bite sheepishly. “My apologies, that will take some getting used to.”

They ate in relative silence, but the princess found it difficult to meet his eyes. Nightwing stared at her, no, stared through her in a way that made her squirm. Calling on all of the dignity training she had learned as a child Starfire straightened her back slightly, lifted her chin levelly and met his gaze.

This time Nightwing looked down with a swallow, seeming to have realized he’d made her a bit uncomfortable. “I’m sorry, its just.. It’s been a long time, two decades really, and you look exactly how I remember.” Running a hand throw his hair he abruptly snapped back into a tie.  
Standing up he took her plate, Starfire nearly jumped in surprise, he had grown taller. Much taller than she was now.

“I have to work tonight, but I do have a small room down here where you can sleep.”

Starfire tilted her head, “I don’t want to kick you out of your bed and I know how you are. If someone doesn’t drag you from your work you don’t go to sleep.”

Nightwing gave her a rueful smile, “I’ve had to learn how to catnap thats for sure.”

Shaking her head Star stood up and set her blanket down. Wrapping both arms around his waist she pulled him into a warm hug. He even smelled different, Star’s sensitive nose picked up motor oil, sweat and other spices, but she still would know who he was.

After a moment he responded and gently rubbed circles up her back, “I’m alright Star, I’ll go to sleep in a couple of hours.” HIs voice came out strained and Starfire leaned back a moment to look at his face.

Nothing seemed wrong so she shrugged it off. “Where is it?”

He gave her the directions before heading back into the main work room. When she found the back room with a large bed set up she slipped off her top and pulled on one of the t shirts lying around.

 

Starfire was going back, would that mean his timeline would disappear? She looked just as he remembered, beautiful green eyes looking up beseechingly. The odd manner in which she spoke and smiled- The thoughts bombarded him and after nearly an hour of trying to fix a simple malfunction in one of his spares Nightwing put it down in disgust. He wasn’t getting any work done tonight.

Thunder cracked outside, audible from the monitors. Nightwing sighed, he’d already patrolled today. Pushing his chair away from the table he stood and ambled into the hallway. Pulling on sweatpants and not bothering with a t-shirt his feet walked him to the guest bedroom door.

After years of being alone the idea suddenly seemed distasteful, but he leaned on one foot and sighed.

“Nightwing?” The former team leader turned around with a pounding chest.

“Oh! Hi Starfire, just was walking by.”

She tilted her head, “You were standing there, I thought perhaps you would turn around and notice that I was here.”

He didn’t know what to say. There was no denying, in his own mind at least, that not a day had gone by since she had disappeared that he hadn’t thought of her. Nightwing swallowed hard.

“I-“  
“Come on.” Starfire lead a shocked Nightwing trailing like a puppy behind her into the guest bedroom.

“Uuh.” To his utter horror his face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Star, I dunno..” He trailed off and felt his face flame hotter.

“Robin,” his head snapped up, her words were soft and gentle. “The you in my time never showed any affection to me. I know it is selfish to want it, but…” Green eyes trailed away from him and a tint showed on her cheeks.

Ah hell, any resolve he may have held crumbled, “Dammit, Star.” Those eyes widened and she half stepped back as he came forward.

Her voice came out sad, “I’m sorry, are you upset?”

The words made him pause, “No! No no, you seriously have it all wrong. But that’s my fault.” Those big eyes widened again and Nightwing sighed. Moving to the bed he sat down and opened his arms to her.

With a happy grin Starfire pulled her hair into a loose braid and lay next to him. Entwining her legs with his and tucking her head into the pillow. “Tell me.” Her legs felt warm and it was a few moments before he responded.

“Me in your time loves you, in his own teenage boy way. But you..” Tracing a hand along the side of her face and gently brush the side of her neck. Star keened, a purr rumbled in her chest turned into a low whine. Snatching his hand back with a gasp he exclaimed, “Are you ok?”

Star scrambled away and covered her face with her hands. “That is…” She didn’t seem to be able to finish her sentence and suddenly in clicked, the way she reacted.

Folding her back into him so her face was against his chest again he asked quietly, “Is that a sensitive spot?”

The soft sheets crinkled under her hands when Star clenched them in her fist. “Yes it is.” Her voice sounded tense, “I was not expecting it.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t think either of us was expecting that.” A lame joke, but effective nonetheless as she giggled weakly.

“Keep going, I would like to know.”

“He felt like a shadow. A shadow that would taint who you are. You know how he, well, I am. Not to mention Batman repeatedly said to him throughout his life that relationships are a distraction.”

The soft rise and fall of her chest told him she wasn’t asleep yet. “So is not many options.”

“I don’t know about that,” a chuckle escaped his chest as Starfire squirmed closer to him. “Its odd to give dating advice about yourself, but yes. There are a few ways, most of which you already did. It really was just a matter of time.”

Star kept shifting, slightly, but enough to completely capture his attention. Finally one hand moved to rest on her hip. “Please don’t do that.” Her movements completely stilled and Nightwing glanced down and felt sparks shoot up and down his spine. It had been her legs, pressing together that was the motion.

“I’ve had years, Star, to think about this.” Her hips moved again and he groaned.

 

The next moment her hands pressed flat into the mattress on either side of her head. Robin bent over her with both knees pressed on either side of her hips and her legs rested on his thighs. Her soaking panties Star had worn that day scratched her as her hips moved.

Craning her neck up she smashed her lips to his.


End file.
